Independence man sentenced to 20 years for deadly shooting at Independence Center

Independence man sentenced to 20 years for deadly shooting at Independence Center

Tyler Gates

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — An Independence man will spend decades behind bars for his role in a 2018 shooting that left a teen dead in the parking lot of Independence Center.

Tyler Gates was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday by a Jackson County judge.

Gates was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of 17-year-old Matthew Haylock in June.

In January 2018, police responded to Independence Center on a reported shooting. Officers found the victim laying in the parking lot, suffering from gunshot wounds.

According to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, a witness told police Gates and Haylock were in the vehicle in the mall’s parking lot. The witness said Gates pointed a gun at Haylock and then the witness heard a gunshot.

Gates asked for help to push Haylock out of the vehicle before leaving the parking lot, according to court records. The vehicle was later found with handguns inside and blood in the backseat.